Fantino champions F-35s in Italy as U.S. grounds all test flights

The Joint Strike Fighter program and the F-35 fighter jet itself are the right choices for both Canada and Italy, associate minister of national defence Julian Fantino said as he wrapped up a trip to Italy this week.

[start_gallery][end_gallery]The F-35s in a test flight on Nov. 10, 2010.“Our countries agree that our investments in the F-35 aircraft are the best choice to give our air forces the equipment they require to protect our interests well into this century,” Fantino said in a release Friday.

The statement comes only a day after the U.S. Defense Department halted all ground and air tests on the F-35 jets after the power system that starts the engine and cools the plane failed during a ground test.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the F-35 Joint Program office, which oversees contractors and testing, was tight-lipped on specific details, but said tests had been suspended until engineers and technical teams were able to pinpoint exactly what caused the problem.

Both Canada and Italy are signatories on the 2006 memorandum of understanding under which the development of the F-35s has operated, and both countries have committed to purchasing a number of planes in the future.

Some parts of the European F-35s will go through the final assembly process at the Alenia Aeronautica plant in Italy. Earlier this year Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin F-35 executive vice-president and general manager, warned that tariffs and taxes related to the international component supply network could add up to almost $3 billion.

While in Italy, Fantino met with Italian defence officials to discuss the nation’s role in Afghanistan and the ongoing NATO operation in Libya. Fantino also met with the operational commander for the NATO mission, Canadian Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, in Naples.

“The hard work being carried out by our Canadian Forces personnel represents Canada’s continuing commitment to international security and cooperation,” Fantino said. “We are taking a principled stand in global affairs to support Canadian values such as freedom, democracy, protection of human rights and the rule of law.”

On Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird discussed the ongoing Libyan operation with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as the worsening situation in Syria.

When asked why a mission similar to the one over Libya had not yet been launched against Syria, Baird was clear that the Assad regime’s shelling of its own citizens was “disgraceful.” But he was reluctant to say very much about organizing a unified mission to the country.

“Regrettably, we don’t have the same amount of support at the UN for this,” Baird said, noting that Canada and the U.S. will continue to work aggressively with other like-minded nations.